If you meet a pastor who’s business card reads Evangelist Rev. Dr. Bro. Phil Armenik Moe.D., D.D., D.Min, D.I.P., Th.D., Ph.D., D.Litt, D.Hum., D.Miss.1 you may well be assured that you are in the presence of a fundamentalist who has been the recipient of a good many honorary degrees from fundamentalists Bible colleges. Gird your loins and prepare to be in the presence of greatness.

Honorary doctorates are useful in fundamentalists circles not only for establishing who’s “camp” someone is in but also to provide their hosts with great material for introductions when they’re out guest speaking. For example: “Tonight we are honored to have with us Dr. Lazarus McSnuffy who holds not one but two doctorates in bus ministry and baptistry design from Hyles Anderson College.”

Even more noteworthy are the tiny church-basement colleges that award doctorates to their own faculty — but that’s a story for another day…